title: Telomerase is a true reverse transcriptase. A review.
abstract: Synthesis of telomeric repeats at chromosome ends requires telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme. The RNA subunit, which contains the template for DNA synthesis, has been identified in many organisms. Recently, the protein subunit that catalyzes telomeric DNA extension has also been identified in Euplotes aediculatus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It has sequence and functional characteristics of a reverse transcriptase related to retrotransposon and retroviral reverse transcriptases, so this new family of telomerase subunits has been named TRT (Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase). We find it remarkable that the same type of protein structure required for retroviral replication is now seen to be essential for normal chromosome telomere replication in diverse eukaryotes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309-0215, USA.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Cech
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lingner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004261:DNA Replication; D016812:Euplotes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D018626:Retroelements; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D016615:Telomere / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018626:Retroelements; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D019098:Telomerase